Georgia Tech big man Robert Carter, Jr. unlikely to return this season

February 5, 2013; Atlanta, GA, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets forward Robert Carter (4) and Florida State Seminoles guard Michael Snaer (21) go for a loose ball in the second half at McCamish Pavilion. Florida State won 56-54. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports

Less than a week ago, word broke that Georgia Tech’s best frontcourt player, Robert Carter, Jr., would be sidelined indefinitely with a meniscus tear, but late Tuesday night, word broke that the picture was bleaker than even the initial reports suggested.

According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Carter, Jr. went under the knife for what was termed as “successful” surgery to repair the knee on Tuesday, but with that, he is considered to be unlikely to return to the floor this season. Brian Gregory was quoted (again, by the AJC) as saying this about the injury:

"“We’re not going to push it. We’re not going to rush him back. That will be the doctors’ and Robert’s and his family’s call. It will depend on swelling, pain and (his) ability to move. He’s got a future in basketball, obviously, and we’re not going to do anything to compromise that whatsoever.”"

It’ll be incredibly difficult for anyone on the current Tech roster to replicate the near double-double production (10.3 points, 9.3 rebounds per game) that the sophomore from Thomasville was putting up, and that was evident during Tech’s road loss to Duke on Tuesday night. Still, it is a wise choice for the future of both the program and the young man to take it slow with his recovery, and as a result, he should be 100% when he returns for his junior season in Atlanta.